Pacific rugby league under the spotlight

Transcript

Pacific rugby league gets its moment in the spotlight this weekend, with an international double-header on the Gold Coast.

The tests between Samoa and Tonga, and Fiji and Papua New Guinea are part of an expanded Pacific test programme, which is now in its third year.

But there is still demand for more international matches and a relaxation of eligibility rules.

Vinnie Wylie reports.

Samoa caused a stir during last year's Four Nations campaign, coming within a converted try of beating England and New Zealand, and also proving competitive against World Champions Australia. But Toa head coach Matt Parish says past form will count for nothing against their Polynesian neighbours.

MATT PARISH: We're proud of what we achieved in the Four Nations [and] we're really proud of where we've come in the last 18 months but it counts for nothing now it's a new season. We need to start again and this weekend against Tonga it's going to be a massive game because, without a doubt, it's the strongest Tongan team they've ever picked, on paper, and we need to prepare well to play well.

Tonga lost to Papua New Guinea in their only international match last year but did surprise Samoa in the inaugural Pacific Test in 2013. Head coach Kristian Woolf believes the Mate Ma'a are capable of another upset.

KRISTIAN WOOLF: We definitely come into this game thinking we can win a game. I know from talking to a lot of the boys last year and watching Samoa in the Four Nations it made all our blokes really proud - we certainly love seeing Samoa have the success they have. It also allowed us to think a little bit about what we might be able to do as a team and as a nation. I certainly have full confidence in the blokes that we pick that we can come up with a really good performance and get a win against Samoa. If we can do that and we can keep building on where we are at the moment then there's no reason we can't have the same success in a similar tournament down the track.

Fiji head coach Rick Stone is juggling his Bati role with the top job at the Newcastle Knights but says he still has goals to achieve.

RICK STONE: It's been important for me in the last couple of years to try and build the profile of rugby league in Fiji. Since the World Cup I think we've gradually continued to do that. I may be getting out in the next six months or so but at the moment I'm trying to help Fiji continue to re-establish themselves, since the World Cup, and this is a good chance for me to probably get some more young players together that took part in the World Cup and a few boys on the fringes to play a PNG side obviously who get some consistent competition nowadays obviously in the Queensland Cup.

Kumuls coach Mal Meninga is banking on familiarity with 11 PNG Hunters players in his team to face Fiji, while Penrith Panthers duo Stanton and Wellington Albert are also Hunters alumni.

MAL MENINGA: That's probably our best players to be honest with you. They're doing very well and they're becoming better players because of it. It's a fair challenge for us to play against Fiji - they've got something like a dozen NRL players - but we'll be very competitive and I think the future for Papua New Guinea, if we keep doing what we're doing, is pretty bright. We will be competing at the highest level within four to five years - I'm pretty confident about that.

Mal Meninga has also called for eligibility rules to be relaxed, to help grow the international game. A number of Pacific stars, including Fiji's Akuila Uate, Tonga's Feleti Mateo and Anthony Milford from Samoa will not be playing for the country of their heritage in order to maintain eligibility for State of Origin and other international teams. Meninga, who is also the Queensland Maroons head coach, says the system is flawed and he believes players should be able to play both State or Origin and for the country of their choice, be that Australia, England or a Pacific nation. The winner of the two Pacific tests will play off later this year for a berth in the Four Nations tournament. Meanwhile Niue are also in action this weekend against South Africa in West Sydney.